Rage 2 seems like a by-the-numbers open-world affair

id Software'sRage was a bit of a mixed back when it released nearly a decade ago. Trying its damnedest to combine a bunch of different genres together, it felt nothing like id's back catalog, while lacking a clear identity of its own. Here was a shooter that was trying to be part-RPG, part-racer, part-adventure, and part-classic shooter. It only really nailed one aspect (the shooting), but never let that segment shine. Missions were over before you knew it and it was back to driving around an oddly linear wasteland to pick-up another repetitive quest.

When Bethesda announcedRage 2 last year, it was clear what needed to happen. Either id Software would have to focus on crafting another killer shooter or go full in on the idea of an open-world shooter in the vein of something likeBorderlands. Giving the reigns over to Avalanche Software,Rage 2 does end up finding a much better balance of different styles, but does little to stand out from the crowd.